Of Shattered Hopes and Distant Dreams
by POTOF
Summary: Four years after Sarah declares her independence from the Goblin King, their paths cross once more. Yet is the story as simple as she has led others to believe? Their past is dark and twisted, the bond between the two going deeper than Sarah would like to admit. As events come back to haunt her in the most literal sense, will Sarah call for Jareth's help or would she rather parish?
1. Chapter 1

Sarah sat by the window, hugging the pillow to her chest. Why was she looking out there, she wondered. The view was fairly monotonous and it was getting dark. She started to get up with a sigh. Boredom was her worst enemy these days…though she realized of course that it could be much worse. Sarah had halfway turned, when something outside caught her eye. Her breath caught in her throat and her pulse raced as she stared at the owl sitting in the tree

"N-No." Sarah rasped, then her face hardened, "Go away, Jareth! I don't _want_ you!"

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips as she marched toward the window. It had been four years with no sign of the glittering prick. How dare he come around her again, after all he had put her through! She was about to throw open the window and yell at him, when she stopped, her hands slowly returning to her sides as she leered at the creature sitting on the branch. That's all it was…a creature…an owl. It looked like Jareth, but the eyes…they lacked his arrogance and passion. She had spent long enough staring into those eyes at the ball, she should know. Not that she would admit it to herself. Though in a way she just had. Throwing the pillow to the floor in frustration, she turned and walked from the room, fleeing from the memories as swiftly as she had run from his arms…

The Goblin King slammed the door to his bedroom and locked it swiftly, not wishing to be disturbed. He sat down hard on his bed, rubbing his temples with a sigh. It had been a _very_ long day. Why couldn't things go smoothly anymore? Ever since she had left-No. He wouldn't think of her. A harsh laugh came from him. As if Sarah Williams weren't the only thing he ever thought about…the one thing he wished so desperately to forget. He picked up a crystal and held it in his hand. Gone were the days of twirling and tossing them as he thought and plotted. His hands shook too badly to perform any of the tricks. Last time he had tried, he'd sent one flying through a window. And that had been using only one crystal! He shook his head as he recalled how, not so long ago, he'd been able to twirl four of them in one hand with ease. The reason for the decline in his coordination lay in a bowl on the nightstand…and also in his hand. How did that get there? Ah well…nothing new about that. He started to raise the drugged peach to his lips but paused, picking the crystal back up. He hadn't tried to find Sarah in a while. Perhaps he should…just to be able to say he had. Jareth held the ball at eye level and turned it slightly, searching. Her face appeared and he jumped a bit, gasping. It had been so long…she was even more beautiful than he remembered.

"Sarah…" he said softly, a gentle smile crossing his face.

He read her lips as she spoke in what was almost a reply. He paled and his hand jerked, causing him to drop the crystal on the floor. It shattered, causing him to step backward, knocking over a chair in the process. Tears formed in his eyes and he slammed them back defiantly. Enough had been shed over her already. Jareth didn't even bother to step over the broken crystal as he walked to the nightstand, the glass crunching and popping beneath his boots. He picked up another peach and flopped down onto the bed, sitting against the headboard. The peach tasted slightly tangy as it passed over his tongue, but after four years he was used to the strange flavor. It took an entire peach before he felt drowsy. He'd even increased the power of each piece of fruit a few times…but it still took a lot to knock him down for even just a few hours. He closed his eyes as it started to take effect. His muscles slowly relaxed as the dream took over. She was safe, safe in his arms. The peach dropped to the floor and rolled a bit as his hand hung over the edge of the bed, his mind floating in the clouds of a drugged slumber once more. A single tear slid down his cheek and disappeared into the pillow, unseen.


	2. Chapter 2

She sighed as she checked on Toby. If anything had changed in the past four years, it _wasn't_ the amount of consideration her parents gave her. Not that she minded taking care of him anymore. Jareth had accomplished that much at least. It had all started when she received the book Labyrinth. It had been a gift. From whom, she had not known. The ring had come with it, as had a warning. She and her brother were in danger, and wearing the ring would offer protection. As a young girl, she had laughed and slipped it on, pretending that there truly was some hidden danger lurking in the world. It was only a few years later when she had taken the ring off for just a second…and seen the shadows. She still didn't know exactly what they were. Just that they made her skin crawl and her blood turn to ice. They would have overtaken her that day, if not for a random blast of light that exploded on the ground behind her. Looking back, she knew it had been Jareth living up to his word to protect her.

When she had wished Toby away, it was out of desperation. Sarah wanted a life of her own…one that didn't include looking after her brother all day or running away from shadows. And the Goblin King had complied with her wishes, seeming glad to take him off of her hands. She understood that he had put her through the Labyrinth to test her and to prepare her for the unexpected. Nothing was what it seemed, just like the shadows. The trip had taught her valuable lessons, but she was still bitter. She felt as if he had been mocking her inexperience the entire time. Sarah had been toyed with and followed by him more than enough, which was why she gave the ring away. That had been the first step to ridding herself of him. The second had been declaring her independence. She'd told him that he had no power over, and he'd realized it was true.

Sarah picked Toby up with a satisfied smile. It had been four years without a single incident. She could have easily done this without that…that…that _peach dream_. Yes, that was what aggravated her most. It was just so unnecessary! He had taken advantage of the situation to have fun mocking her in front of the other Fae…Arrogant, glittering prick that he was! If he thought for one second that she was just going to stay in that ballroom with him, being laughed at for her human mistakes, then he could just march his glittering pants straight into the depths of-

"Ssssssss…"

She froze as she heard the quiet hiss, remembering it with dread and slowly looking around. Nothing appeared out of place. Thinking that the sight of the owl had simply put her nerves on edge, she shook off the shiver running down her spine and started to place Toby back into his crib. She saw the spindly digits right before she let go of her brother. They were reaching for him slowly…inconspicuously drifting outward like any normal shadow would. Sarah snatched Toby up into her arms right before it reached him, causing the creature to shriek in frustration and anger. How had it found them? Even more importantly, how on earth had it gotten in? As she ran from the room, she saw that the window had been cracked open slightly. No doubt her stepmother had tried to let in some fresh air and had neglected to tell her about it. Sarah practically dove back into her room, slamming the door shut and locking it. Her breathing was sporadic as she watched the door. It rattled and the shapes attempted to come through the crack beneath. She grabbed the comforter off of her bed with one hand and shoved it up against the door, leaning her back against the shaking piece of wood that now seemed so very fragile. Allowing a few tears to run down her cheeks, she wondered what Jareth was doing…why he hadn't come. Though of course she _knew_ why he hadn't come. It was her own fault. She had refused his help, arrogantly thinking that she could handle things by herself. Toby was crying from the noise and she held him close, trying to hush him. In a desperate attempt to calm both her fears and his, she started to sing, wishing with all her heart that Jareth would somehow hear her…


	3. Chapter 3

"There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel…"

Jareth shook his head a bit as he woke. He could hear her singing. It was a wonderful notion, but he knew that he needed to leave dreams behind and snap back to reality. Her voice continued, even though he was awake. With a violent shake of his head, Jareth attempted to clear the drug's haze. This wasn't even pleasant. She was frightened, he could tell. He put his head against the wall and closed his eyes, gripping at the stones. It had to stop soon, surely. Yet…there was something different about this. He'd never heard her sing before, especially this song. Even if he'd imagined her singing, it would have been strong and sure, not soft and frightened as it was now. With a frown, Jareth picked up a fresh crystal and peered into it, struggling to concentrate. He followed the source of the singing and felt his jaw drop slightly when Sarah actually came into view. She was sitting against her door with Toby in her arms, crying.

"What's troubling you so, Sarah?" he muttered, furrowing his brow.

The answer soon came as the door shook, a chorus of angry hisses coming from the other side. Jareth cursed in the Fae tongue, his teeth clenched. This _would_ happen while he was sleeping. Of all the times for the shadows to attack! He focused on Sarah's song. As long as she was singing, he would have a fast connection to her. He teleported into her room and looked down at her. She peered back up at him with panicked eyes, gasping. The expression in her eyes when she realized it was him was glorious, and he saved it in his mind at first glance. Sarah was so relieved that he was here. He extended a gloved hand to her and she immediately took it. Pulling her up and behind him, Jareth spoke in a low and solemn tone, looking at her over his shoulder.

"I'll make a path for you. As soon as the way to the door is clear, run and don't look back. Find a well-lit and crowded area and mingle, but keep an eye open. I'll follow as soon as I'm free. Do us both a favor and hum the song. It will make it easier to for me to find you."

He placed a hand on the doorknob, preparing a spell with the other. It was harder to bring the magic than it should have been, but Jareth paid that little mind. Unlocking the door, he threw it open and let the ray fill the entryway, lighting the entire second floor with the blast. Soon both hands were shooting spells into the screaming shadows.

"Go, Sarah!" he shouted over the noise.

Jareth could see her running out of the corner of his eye, brother in her arms. A shadow tried to dart past him and he vanquished it with the flick of a hand. Slowly he made his way down the stairs, fighting as he walked. The adrenaline rush that came from being needed faded quickly after she left. Fortunately the shadows retreated backward for a moment, giving him time to catch his breath. What were they doing? He paled as they came together into one large shadow. Jareth backed away, trying to keep his fears pushed deep down, scowling at the creature.

"You won't have her." he growled.

The monster laughed and Jareth forced himself not to cringe. It sounded like nails against a chalkboard, only louder and more painful. He went at it with everything he had, determined to hold the thing off for as long as Sarah needed. At one point he accidentally stepped too close, and several shadows broke off to wrap themselves around him. Pain shot through his chest as they did so and he cried out, blasting them off angrily. At last the shadows left completely, allowing Jareth to pull out a crystal and search for Sarah. He frowned slightly as he realized she wasn't humming, but let it go. Her location was more secluded than he would have liked, but it would do. She was at a friend's house. He closed his eyes and poofed before her. With that, his last bit of energy was used. As he appeared in the room, he stumbled forward, breathing hard. Sarah stared at him, her gaze hard and cold. Her friend's mouth was hanging open, her eyes wide with shock and even fear. Jareth's vision darkened and he fell forward into unconsciousness at the sound of the young girl's scream.


	4. Chapter 4

She was talking to her friend in a frightened whisper when he appeared. Her eyes grew wide as Jareth's eyes landed on her. How had he found them? She'd purposefully avoided humming the song just to give herself time to think. Yet there he was, staring at her. Everything within her went cold and hard, refusing to let him melt her with that tender searching gaze. It hadn't worked in the Underground and neither would it affect her here. True, he'd saved their lives, but he was also likely the one who got them all into this mess in the first place. Why else would the shadows be after them? For all she knew, this could all be one large plan to drive her cowering into his arms. If that was true then the Goblin King could just poof right back to where he'd come from. But would he tell the truth when she asked him, or would he simply spin more lies for her to swallow?

Amelia let out a scream and Sarah silenced it with a meaningful look. A thud sounded and she looked over to see Jareth passed out on the carpet. With a frustrated sigh, she rose from her seat on the bed and went over to him, flipping him over with her foot. Not amused or impressed in the least by this drama king act, she calmly walked from the room and into the bathroom a few doors away and filled a glass with water. Her feelings were rather confused at the moment. No, make that _very_ confused. She had called out to the Goblin King and he had come. She'd heard his voice before seeing him, singing what she was sure he considered 'their' song with strength and reassurance.

When he'd popped up into her room, Sarah's mind had flashed back to the first time she'd seen him. The two times were so similar. Jareth had looked angelic as he appeared, his beautiful mismatched eyes finding hers instantly. She was attracted to him, that fact she had never even pretended to deny. As a young teenager, his simple presence had been intoxicating. There was just something about his arrogant egotistical attitude that suited him, and it frustrated her to no end. Four years should have been long enough for the feeling to pass, but even the brief contact when he had wrapped an arm around her waist had made her face flush. This would not do. Not at all. With a frown, Sarah turned the tap back off and exited the room.

Amelia was staring wide-eyed at the Fae upon her return, and Toby looked down at him while running a curious hand through Jareth's hair.

"Dance, magic…" the boy murmured softly, his eyebrows furrowing as if trying to remember.

She sighed and motioned for Toby to move away. He did as she asked, looking up at her with frightened eyes. If nothing else, Jareth would pay for traumatizing him. _If_ he was the one to blame. Surely he was. But what if he truly was trying to help them? Well, then the least he could do was take five minutes to explain what was going on. The prat owed them that much at least. So, with one hand on her hip, she tossed the water in Jareth's face. A satisfied smirk twitched at her lips as he coughed and sputtered, sitting up and looking around confusedly. His eyes rested on her once more.

"Your Majesty." she said with all but a sneer.

He stood and dried himself with a quick snap of the fingers, an annoyed look crossing his face ever so briefly.

"A pleasure to see you again as well, Precious." he replied with a dangerous spark in his eye.

"Don't call me that." she hissed.

"As you wish, _Miss Williams_."

"Jareth, I swear, if you say that word around me one more time…"

He laughed, causing her face to redden with anger.

"Forgive me," he said bitterly, "I'd forgotten how truly unappreciative of wishes you are…"

"Unappreciative?" she repeated incredulously, "Are you saying I was supposed to_appreciate_ what you did?"

"I am. You did ask me to do it, after all."

"I did nothing of the sort! I may have experienced a moment of weakness and dreamed what it would be like without Toby to take care of, but never once did I ask you to make me go through hell just to retrieve him."

"A moment of weakness is all it would take, Sarah. If you do not realize that now, then you truly did learn nothing in my labyrinth."

"Would someone please tell me what is going on?!" Amelia cried out suddenly, her voice filled with confusion and fear.

Sarah turned toward her friend, the glare she had been giving the Goblin King turning to one of exhausted resignation. Pinching the bridge of her nose and closing her eyes, she gestured to each person in turn.

"Sorry…uhm, Amelia, this is Jareth. He's…a foreign dignitary. Very foreign. He's here to help…I think. Sire, this is my friend Amelia."

Her friend gave a clumsy curtsy and Jareth nodded politely. She groaned inwardly when she saw him frown. What now?

"You _think_? Honestly, Pr-Sarah. After all I've done for you, I'm a bit hurt by your insinuation."

"Oh really?" she quipped, crossing her arms, "And what exactly have you done for me?"

"Everything!" he snapped, "I even reordered time for you, something I do for no other. Yet still you fight me. Now is not the time for arguing, Sarah. You called for my help and I am here to give it to you."

He stuck a hand inside his pocket and withdrew it to hold out her old ring in offering.

"Have some sense, girl, and put it on." he said between gritted teeth.

"I'll do no such thing. I told you before that you have no power over me. That truth still stands, and I'll not do anything to change it! Besides," she muttered, turning away from him a bit, "I can take care of myself…"

Jareth's face turned about ten different shades as he clenched his fists in anger.

"You…you…" he sputtered.

"I what?" she snapped at him, turning back to face him, "You think I can't? They caught me by surprise this time, that's all! Next time I'll be ready."

He opened his mouth to respond, but instead instantly paled, grabbing her and pulling her behind him. She stumbled at his harsh yank, falling to her hands and knees. Sarah let out a small sound of protest but was drowned out by a familiar screech, which was mixed with a short scream from her friend. Everything happened in an instant. As he had thrown her out of the way, Jareth had let loose a ball of magic. Sarah had seen that much out of the corner of her eye. Dizzy and confused, she turned her head to look up at him, wondering how exactly he would fight it off this time. He was now standing in place, hands dangling loose his sides. It took Sarah a moment to take in the entire picture. The shadow had its hand in the Fae's chest, seeming to slowly suck the life and energy out of its victim.

"No!" she yelped instinctively, leaping to her feet in shock.

At the sound of Sarah's voice, the shadow released him, looking at her. The Goblin King stumbled backward with a grunt. She caught his arm, her eyes going even wider as she saw how terrible he looked. A nasty cut across his shoulder had started to bleed and his face looked nearly as pale as his shirt. More shadows were coming, and Toby ran to his sister for protection, whimpering and holding onto her shirt. Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah noted that Amelia has fainted. Probably for the best. Perhaps that way she would think everything was just a dream. Suddenly they vanished from the room and appeared in the middle of the throne room in the Underground.

"Jareth?" she questioned in a quavering voice.

His breathing was heavy and ragged and he shook beneath her hand. Furrowing her brow in concern, she tightened her grip on his arm.

"Are-Are you all right?" she asked softly.

His pale lips parted as if to answer her, but then he unexpectedly collapsed, his knees buckling from underneath him. With a grunt, she caught him and lowered him to the ground. Her eyes went wide in fear and she gasped as she realized…he wasn't breathing.


	5. Chapter 5

"For heaven's sake, keep your voice down."

"Why? You honestly think he doesn't know by now? The boy's not stupid, Kahlea. At the very least he's surmised that something is amiss."

A ten-year-old Jareth tried to block out the sound of his parents' arguing by humming a song to himself. It wasn't that he hadn't become used to it by now. The two Fae argued almost every time they were alone…or thought they were, at any rate. What did bother him was the fact that he could never discern what the argument was actually _about._ He fiddled with the pendant his father had given him and frowned. Couldn't they have picked a more secluded spot in the house to bicker? It was late and he was trying to get some rest, but no sleep would be found as long as they were grumbling at one another. With a sigh, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and walked to the door. Both his parents were talking at once now. Would they ever stop? When he opened the door, they both turned.

"Jareth, darling, go back to bed." his mother said gently, slipping her arm around his shoulders.

"Why are you fighting this time?" he asked her, looking up with a tired but calm expression.

His lack of concern threw Kahlea off, and Aldric stepped forward, holding out his hand.

"Come with me, son." he coaxed, "You'll be happier, I promise."

"Don't you dare take him away!" Kahlea cried, "If you take him, he'll be lost to Talmera before he even comes of age. I won't have it!"

Jareth paled, stepping out of his mother's arms and away from both of them.

"The Shadow Queen? What would she want with me?"

"She…wants to speak with you. Come, my son." his father replied, still holding his hand out.

The look on the man's face was almost pained. His eyes were uneasy and seemed to beg for his son to trust him and yet at the same time held hope that he wouldn't.

"Leave. Now." Kahlea said in a low tone, stepping between them. "If you ever touch him again, I swear I'll kill you myself."

"You wouldn't do that. Now be reasonable, love. This will all work out so much better if you just-"

Aldric took a step forward as he spoke, only to be blasted backward into the wall by a ball of magic. The force of the impact drove the air from his lungs in a grunt of pain. As he watched his father fall limply to the floor, Jareth let out a small cry of shock and took off running. Whatever was going on was clearly his fault. If he left, he reasoned that everything would be all right. His father would wake up and Kahlea would apologize, embracing him lovingly as she'd often done not so many years ago.

The distance to the front door was too far. Either his mother or one of the guards would catch him before he could get away. So instead, he took a deep breath and flung himself off of the balcony in his parents' bedroom. He heard Kahlea cry out as he jumped, and it startled him to the point that he almost didn't have time to shift. It had been risky to leap from such a height when he'd only transformed into an owl a few times. Pain shot through him before his wings formed and he flew off toward the forest. His senses had changed, and it confused him, causing him further distress and panic. Nothing seemed to be working the way he thought it should, and he started jerking up and down as he struggled to remain in the air. Jareth dove through the trees, trying to hide from anyone who might have followed. This was harder than he'd thought it would be, and he changed back as he half fell to the ground. Tears ran down his face as he stopped to catch his breath, stinging the cuts he'd received on the way down.

"Where are you running to, son?"

Jareth's head snapped up as Aldric stepped into the clearing.

"I'm tired of the fighting. I want it to stop, even if that means I have to leave." Jareth responded, stubbornly wiping the tears from his face.

"No." Aldric replied softly, "I'm the one who's leaving, son. It's been decided for quite some time, so don't think that tonight's events would have affected it. I can't stay long. Your mother is close behind me with. But if you wish to come with me…"

The thought of going with his father was exciting and appealed to Jareth, but when he remembered who Aldric wanted to take him to, his eyes grew wide and he shook his head. It wasn't that he was a coward or that he didn't trust his father, but Talmera's reputation was one of the worst in the entire Underground. She was the villain in bedtime stories that kept children up at night jumping at every sound and clinging to their pillows in fright. Many people encountered her never to be seen again. Those who did return were rarely the same as when they had left. The last thing he wanted was to find out what happened to those people, but close behind it was the sight of his father smiling sadly and turning to leave.

Moments later, Kahlea popped up beside him, the smell of summer strong in the air as she appeared in a gentle flash of warm light. She pulled Jareth to her in a tight embrace, hushing him comfortingly as he tried not to stare at the spot where Aldric had vanished. Moonlight caused the ground there to sparkle, the silver glitter dusting the area serving as the last sign of his father's presence Jareth saw for several centuries.

His chest felt tight as he turned into his mother's embrace. Suddenly he found it hard to breathe. As the world faded away, his head started to spin. Someone was calling his name, but he couldn't answer. Then his eyes opened and he took a deep breath, coughing weakly as his chest burned. He was back in his quarters, shirt off and covered by the blankets as he lay in bed. How he'd gotten there was a mystery until he heard a familiar voice from beside him.

"Jareth?"

He looked up to see Sarah leaning over him, worry written in her features. It was an expression he never thought he'd see from her.

"What happened?" he rasped, straining to sit up before sinking back into the mattress.

Sarah shifted, holding his head as she helped him take a drink of water. He was almost happy about his weak state, if only because she was being kind to him for a moment.

"You brought me back to your home and then passed out. I…I think your heart stopped for a minute." she answered quietly.

It was only then that he remembered what had happened.

"And the boy? What of your brother?" he asked, furrowing his brow slightly.

"He's safe. One of your servants put him to bed. The room's just down the hall."

Jareth nodded. He wasn't going to mention that the room Toby was resting in had once been his own.

"Why…why are you like this? I mean, why did you pass out?" she asked, her cheeks turning a bit red as if she was embarrassed to ask about his weakness.

"It's a side effect of…something else." he muttered, unwilling to admit the reason.

She gave him a confused look, which irritated him. Why should she have the right to pester and judge? It was her fault he'd started eating the damned peaches in the first place!

"Very well, Sarah. If you _must_ know, it's because of the drug I've become dependent on. I'm sure you remember it. Fruit makes the delivery much more pleasant."

At first it seemed as though she still didn't understand, then her eyes grew wide. Perhaps telling her had been a mistake after all.

"Why?" she asked softly, an odd sort of fear in her expression.

"You left me alone with no way of knowing if you were safe. I wanted to keep you away from the shadows, yet you left me here with nothing but a broken heart. It was so simple, Sarah. You could have either left your brother here with me and continued with your life or taken him home and known how to protect him from any attacks until I arrived. I even gave you the choice of staying with him. All you had to do was obey me. I ask the same of all who live here, simply as a safety measure. But instead, you took your brother and severed the only link I had to you."

He stroked her cheek, his mind starting to become hazy. It wouldn't be long before he passed out again.

"I grew fond of you over the years." he murmured, "I only wanted to help."

Sarah's expression was surprised yet kind as she looked at him, and though she didn't respond to his touch, neither did she push him away.

"There were a few things you could have done differently if that was your true aim, Goblin King. But we can talk about that later. You should sleep."

Jareth opened his mouth to protest, but was overtaken by a sudden wave of exhaustion, his eyes closing as he started to drift off. He felt more than saw Sarah get up, and he tried to move his hand toward her. It felt as heavy as stone and refused to budge.

"S-Sarah…" he murmured, struggling to open his eyes.

A soft gasp of surprise escaped him as her hand touched his arm.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm just gonna go check on Toby for a few minutes, then I'll be back. Try to rest."

Her tone was gentle, but he assumed that was only due to how horrid he probably looked after being attacked by the shadow. As he drifted off to sleep, he couldn't help but hope that he was wrong. Even if he couldn't love her as he wanted, it might be enough to convince her to stay, or at least to accept his protection once more. Now that she was once again within reach, he couldn't bear to lose her. Not again.


End file.
